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Presidio

The army base that became a national park — 1,500 acres of forest, fort, and the best view of the bridge.

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Quick answer

The Presidio military post at the Golden Gate was founded by Spain in 1776, became a Mexican outpost in 1822, and passed to the United States Army in 1846, during the Mexican-American War. The Army left in 1994 and the 1,491-acre site joined Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Its 262-acre forest of eucalyptus, Monterey pine and Monterey cypress was planted by soldiers starting in 1883.

1Spanish founding in 1776; military use ended on 1 October 1994 after 219 years
2Juan Bautista de Anza led 193 soldiers, women and children from present-day Tubac, Arizona
3The post passed from Spain to Mexico to the United States

Full transcript

1

Two Hundred Years of Walls

The Presidio was a military post for 219 years — Spanish, then Mexican, then American — and it stopped being one on the first of October, 1994. The Spanish founded it in 1776, the same year the Declaration of Independence was signed on the other side of the continent, and it was the northernmost outpost of their empire. Juan Bautista de Anza brought 193 people here overland from what is now Tubac, Arizona to do it. One footnote that says more than the dates: between 1890 and 1914 soldiers from this post were sent to patrol Yosemite and Sequoia, which made them the country's first park rangers.

2

The Forest

What looks like an ancient forest is not. The Army planted the eucalyptus and Monterey cypress in the 1880s as windbreaks. The trees thrived in the coastal fog. A hundred and forty years later they form one of the largest urban forests in the country, with a resident population of coyotes. The main parade ground — a wide lawn with a view straight through the Golden Gate — is where soldiers drilled for World War One. Today it is where families picnic and wedding parties take photographs. The brick barracks house startups and the Walt Disney Family Museum.

3

The View

Walk to the overlook behind the Officers' Club. You will see the Golden Gate Bridge from a perspective that most tourists miss: side-on, with the Pacific behind it and the city at your back. On a clear afternoon the light turns the bridge the exact orange it was designed to be. Stay until sunset if you can. Wait for the fog hour, when the bridge disappears one tower at a time.

The checkable facts

  • Spanish founding in 1776; military use ended on 1 October 1994 after 219 years
  • Juan Bautista de Anza led 193 soldiers, women and children from present-day Tubac, Arizona
  • The post passed from Spain to Mexico to the United States
  • Presidio soldiers patrolled Yosemite and Sequoia between 1890 and 1914, acting as the nation's first park rangers
  • The Army planted the eucalyptus and Monterey cypress in the 1880s as windbreaks.
  • A hundred and forty years later they form one of the largest urban forests in the country, with a resident population of coyotes.
  • From 1776 until 1994 — first under the Spanish crown, then under Mexico from 1822, then under the United States Army from 1846.
  • When the Army finally left, the land went to the park service rather than to developers, which is why 1,491 acres of it stayed open to the public.
  • Jones proposed the planting in March 1883 to break the wind across the post's sand dunes and make the reservation look larger than it was.
  • Work began in 1886, and within six years more than 300,000 eucalyptus, Monterey pine and Monterey cypress trees were in the ground.
  • About 262 acres of that forest survive.
  • Coyotes came back on their own in 2002 after decades of absence and have bred in the park since.
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What travelers say

Distilled from Google, TripAdvisor, Reddit and Chinese-language posts — every claim links to its source.

Reddit

"The Presidio itself is gorgeous and a nice walk when the weather's good. Tunnel Tops park is right there and really well done."

Tip: Pair the Presidio with Tunnel Tops, but pick a clear day because the open walking areas are most enjoyable when weather cooperates.
visitor recommendation
TripAdvisor

"You can hike in the Presidio, play volleyball at Ocean Beach, or sprawl out on Marina Green and take in the Golden Gate views."

Tip: For easy Golden Gate views, use Marina Green as a picnic viewpoint and connect it to Presidio trails rather than only visiting the bridge itself.
activity suggestion
TripAdvisor

"Look for street parking just outside the Lombard gate, on Lyon Street."

Tip: If Presidio parking is full, try Lyon Street just outside the Lombard gate, but check signs for restrictions.
parking workaround
TripAdvisor

"The park itself is beautifully landscaped and has a great view of the Golden Gate Bridge. The visitor center is a nice place to stop"

Tip: Stop at the Presidio visitor center first for orientation and a quick shop, then walk to the landscaped bridge viewpoint.
orientation tip
TripAdvisor

"its close to walt disney museum. great place to walk, big green ara, good views of golden gate bridge."

Tip: Stay near the Presidio Inn if you want a walkable base for the Walt Disney Museum and Golden Gate Bridge views.
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Frequently asked

How long was the Presidio a military base?
From 1776 until 1994 — first under the Spanish crown, then under Mexico from 1822, then under the United States Army from 1846. The National Park Service counts 219 years of military use before the handover. When the Army finally left, the land went to the park service rather than to developers, which is why 1,491 acres of it stayed open to the public.
Who planted the Presidio forest?
The United States Army did. Major William A. Jones proposed the planting in March 1883 to break the wind across the post's sand dunes and make the reservation look larger than it was. Work began in 1886, and within six years more than 300,000 eucalyptus, Monterey pine and Monterey cypress trees were in the ground. About 262 acres of that forest survive.
Are there coyotes in the Presidio?
Yes. Coyotes came back on their own in 2002 after decades of absence and have bred in the park since. Only one alpha pair breeds inside a claimed territory, so the resident group stays small: a bonded pair, that year's pups, and juveniles who are pushed out to find ground of their own. The Presidio Trust monitors them.
Can you visit the Walt Disney Family Museum in the Presidio?
Yes. It occupies converted brick barracks on the main parade ground and covers Walt Disney's life and career rather than the theme parks. It is an independent nonprofit, not a Disney company property, and the National Park Service does not run it. Opening days vary through the year, so check the museum's own website before you travel out.
What does the word presidio mean?
Presidio is Spanish for a garrison or fortified military settlement. Spain built four of them along Alta California — San Diego, Monterey, San Francisco and Santa Barbara — each one paired with a nearby mission. The San Francisco garrison was the northernmost outpost of the Spanish empire in western North America, which is why it was placed at the strait.

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